Means for supporting sucker rod and pump lines



J. c. sTOKEs MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SUCKER ROD AND-PUMP LINES Filed June 21V. 192e:

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June 16, 1931.4

. INVENTCR. Inl-m I; snakes ATTORNEYS.

Patented `lime 16,? 1931r UNITED 'sr TES rsmoi JOHNG. sroxns, orlirousroN, rnxas,

MnA'Nsron SUPPORTING soenna-non AND ruivir LINEs Application filed June 21, A1928.` 'SerialiNm 287,076.

Thisy invention relates to improvements in? Vmeans for supporting sucker rods in well tubing or pipe lines.

TheY primary yOtje-Ci 0i e thisv invention is the provision of means forfsupporting the dead weight'of a long string'of sucker'or pumping rods, in deep well pumpingl equipment, in` order toy distribute the load thereof at spaced intervals along ythe tubing or cas- A ing, forthe purpose of relieving the operating mechanism and preventing destruction to parts Y A furtherobject of 'this invention is the provision ofimproved means for resiliently supporting sucker rods within well vtubing and thelike, ,the invention being generically set forth in my co-pending application, Serial No'. 231,907, filed November 8, 1927, and differing thereover in the novel means of supporting springs both with respect to the sucker rod line and the tubing.

Other objects and advantages of the in@ ventionwill be apparent during the course of the following-.detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part Vof'tliis specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate `cor,- responding parts throughout the several views, s f f o Figure 1 is a verticalfragmentary sectional view of rpump tubing, showing the preferred type of reciprocating sucker rod p ump linejand its supporting means.

Figure 2 isa transverse sectional viewv takeny substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure1'..y

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, of a modified form of ythe invention, showing anrimproved detent means for supporting the spring devices of sucker rod lines :within the well tubing.

Figures 4 and 5 arecross sectional views Y taken substantially on theirl respective lines in Figure 3 of the drawings. j

a Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through thevpawl receivingzcouplin'g of the tubing of vthe form of invention shown in Figure 3, showingthe relation of the pawl carrying member therein. f

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose C and D may'` respectively designate the Y preferred and modified forms of the invention. In the form .of'invention C a tubing line K- is provided, consistingof conventional lengths of tubing 10, connected `atdesired locations by special couplings 11 which pro'- vide upwardly facing beveled shoulders l2` projectinggin upwardly facinggrelation in thepassageways 13 through thetubing sections -10. y f

' It is the genericpurpose in providing .the forms of invention C and D to permit withdrawal of the sucker rod lines, together with the spring f devices attached thereto, which 4 are adapted to support the sucker .rod lines at various spaces along thetubing.

The sucker rod line L ofthe form of in vention C includes the conventional sucker rod sections 15, the lowermost of which has V the plunger or piston mechanism 16 con-v nected therewith, operating ina conventional working barrel 17. .At spaced eley22 form counter facing abutments or shoulders, as is clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawing.- f'

The spring larrangements M are provided.

on the sucker rod line Lwherever the special rod sections are provided. They maybe of one piece or comprise upper and lower spiral springs 25 and 26 respectively, seatedr at their proximate ends against spaced lugs y27 arranged in radial relation upon a spring guide sleeve 28.` The springs are slipped over the oppositesleeve ends of the guide member 28. The upper end of the spring seats against the lower surface of the ring-shaped abutment 21, and the lower end of the spring 26 rests upon the top surface 29 of a slidable follower or sleeve 30, Which is normally urged by the springs 25 and 26 against the lower washer 22.

When the sucker rod line is lowered, into a pumping position, it is apparent that the load of it will be distributed upon the tubing K at various elevations therealong, since thefollowers 30 will rest on the shoulders 12 of the tube couplings l1. The devices M will of course be held in position between the Washers 21 and 22, as is apparent. It vis to be particularly observed that in this form vof invention, each of the followers 30 are of a decreasing width in external diameter from the uppermost spring arrangement M to the lowermost spring arrangement M, so that the follower 30 of the lowermost spring arrangement M, illus` trated in the right hand portion of Figure 1,'may readily pass upwardly through the passageways of the special couplings 11 for all of the spring arrangements M thereabove. This of course requires that the passageways of the special couplings 11 ave a decreasing diameter from the uppermost coupling l1 of the tubing to the lowermost coupling 11. This structure permits a ready withdrawal of the entire sucker rod line, together with the spring arrangements M thereon, and insures that the followers or members 30 will seat only on the proper shoulders or abutments` 12 of the tubing, as required.

In order to permit ready passage of the medium being pumped, the ring 2l, instead of beingfannular may have spaced lugs 32, as shown more particularly in the upper right hand portion of Figure 1, and similarly' the followers 30 may have a cross sectional appearance such as illustrated in Figure 2,'that is, grooved longitudinally inwardly of the periphery at 33.

In the modified form of invention D, many of the structural features of the form of inventionv C are present, and like numerals indicate corresponding parts in both forms of the invention.

The tubing K of the form of invention D is the same as the tubing for the form of invention C, except that the tubing couplings 40 are provided with annular recesses 41 facing in the tubing passageway. The height 0f these recesses 41 vary from the couplings the form D the spring arrangements M have the lower followers or members thereof recessed to receive diametrically opposed pawls or dogs 5l, pivoted at 52, at their upper ends; the lower portions thereof having springs acting thcreagainst, withinthe outer contines of the supporting followers 50, to force the lower tooth ends of said pawls against the inside surfaces of the tubing, so that .the said teeth will seat in the proper recesses Lil of the tube couplings 40, during the lowering Aoperation of the sucker rod line.

To insure that the proper pawls or dogs 51 will seat at the proper elevation in the tubing, that is, in the respective coupling rccess 41 provided therefor, as the sucker rod is being lowered, I vary the length of the pawl teeth 55, so that for the lowermost spring arrangement M', the said teeth are longer than any of the other' teeth of said pawls supported on the upper spring arrangementsvM; the teeth 55 successively increasing in height from the uppermost spring larrangement M towards the lowermost sp-ringset M', as is shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. Cf course, the recesses 41 in height are correspondingly designed for receiving only the respectivevteeth of the pawls intended therefor. The teeth 55 are properly beveled on their upper shoulders to retract into the tubing upon an upward pull on the sucker rod line for releasing the same-and withdrawing it from the tubing.

The general reference herein to a pumping line or` pumping string is to be construed as including any reciproeatory pumping mechanism, such as rods, cable and the like where suitable, for supporting the dead weight thereof in the manner described.

Various changes `in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the forms yof invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

yI claim:

l. In well pumping equipment a string of tubing, z. sucker rod line operable in the tubing, a spring device in the tubing, means to yieldably support the sucker rod line on the spring device, and means comprising a spring urged pawl on the spring device detachably engageable with ythe tubing to transmit the weight of the sucker rod line to the tubing through the spring device.

2. In pumping equipment a line of tubing, a sucker rod string reciprocable in the tubing, ak springV arrangement upon the sucker rod line, means on the spring arrangement and tubing for yieldably distributing the weight of the sucker rod line onto the tubin r,the spring arrangement Vand last mentionec means being so related that the sucker rod string and spring arrangement may be completely detached from the tubing without interference on the part of the latter.

3., In deep well pumping equipment a line of tubing, a 'sucker rod string reciprocable ,in the tubing line, and spring devices supported by the sucker rod line and detachi able from the tubing with the sucker vrod line without interference by the tubing, said tubing yand spring devices having interen .gaging means lthereon to respectively distribute the loady of the lsucker rod line at various yelevations along the tubing.

4. In well pumping equipment a string of tubing havinga pluralityof seats at spaced distances therealongV with passageways through said seats varying in diameter from the uppermost seat to the lowermost seat, the passageways successively increasing in diameter from the uppermost seat to the lowermost seat, a sucker rod line, and means on the sucker' rod line at spaced intervals therealong for the respective seats, adapted'k to engage their respective seats atv the same time'for supporting the sucker rod line at' a plurality'of spaced locations along the tubing.

5. In well pumping equipment a string oftubing having upwardly facing seats at spaced intervals therealong, the `seats having passageways therethrough of varying diameter, withthe uppermost seat `having its passageway largest and with the passageways of the succeeding lower seats being successively restricted, a sucker rod line, and supports carried by they sucker rod line at spaced intervals therealong adapted to each engage a respective seat of the tubing,

Vthe supports for the lower seats being of a cross dimension that will permit them to slip bythe uppermost seats and engage only on their respective seats. v v

6. In well pumping equipment a string of tubing having upwardly facing f seats at spaced intervalsftherealong, the seats having passageways therethrough of varying diamand urging the follower towards the lower shoulder of the sucker rod line, the follower being in position to engage the shoulder of the tubing when lowered into the,r

tubing.

8. In well pumping equipment, tubing having an upwardly facing shoulder therein,

a sucker rod line having spaced facing shoulders thereon, a follower slidingon the sucker rrod line between said shoulders, a spring device engaging the upper shoulder and urging the follower towards the lower shoulder of thesucker rod line, the follower being in position to engage they shoulder of` the tubing when lowered into the tubing, said ktubing and sucker rod line having similar structures to that above mentioned at spaced intervals therealongl for supporting the sucker rod line in the tubing at a plu-y rality of spaced locations, therealong.

9. In well pumping equipment, tubinghaving ra recess therealong, a sucker rod line eter, with the uppermost seat having its Y passagewaylargest and with the passageways of the succeeding ylower seats being e successively restricted, a sucker rod line,

supports carried by the sucker rod line at spaced intervals therealong adapted to each engage a respective seat of the tubing, the supports for the ylower seats being of a cross dimension thatv will permit them to slip by thev uppermost seats and engage Vonly on their respective seats, said supports having means resiliently connecting them on the sucker yrod line for limited sliding movement therealong. 60

7. In Vwell pumping equipment, tubing having an upwardly facing shoulder therein,

a sucker rod line having spaced facing,V

shoulders thereon, a yfollower sliding on the sucker rod line between said shoulders, and

a spring device engaging the upper shoulder 

